That authority to grant planning permission be delegated to the Head of Planning Services subject to:

The conditions as outlined in appendix 1 and any modifications to these conditions as considered necessary by the Head of Planning Services; and

An informative being added to the decision notice to remind the applicant that the site permit managed by the Environment Agency will monitor any day to day odour issues once the development is in operation.

]]>https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2019/02/central-planning-14-february-2019-2/Ford Church Bridge, near Ford – road closure for two weeks from Monday 4 March 2019http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/News-ShropshireCouncil/~3/OWwgYdnopJY/
Fri, 22 Feb 2019 10:08:43 +0000http://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/?p=45258Ford Church Bridge will be closed for up to two weeks from Monday 4 March 2019 to enable repairs to be undertaken.…

]]>Ford Church Bridge will be closed for up to two weeks from Monday 4 March 2019 to enable repairs to be undertaken. The repair works will involve rebuilding the damaged downstream parapet.

The bridge carries an unclassified road over a tributary of the River Severn to the north west of Ford.

The bridge must be closed to traffic while repairs are being undertaken as the road is too narrow for the work to be carried out safely with the bridge open to traffic. HGV traffic only will be given supervised access over the bridge during working hours; all other traffic will be diverted via the A458.

Access for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will remain available at the bridge throughout the works.

]]>https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2019/02/ford-church-bridge-closure/Red Bridge near Maesbrook – road closure for two weeks from Monday 4 March 2019http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/News-ShropshireCouncil/~3/sxWEVgmoLZQ/
Fri, 22 Feb 2019 10:05:54 +0000http://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/?p=45256Red Bridge will be closed for up to two weeks from Monday 4 March 2019 to enable repairs to be undertaken. The…

]]>Red Bridge will be closed for up to two weeks from Monday 4 March 2019 to enable repairs to be undertaken. The work will involve rebuilding the upstream parapet and replacing the damaged approach fences.

The bridge carries an unclassified road over the River Morda to the south of Maesbrook. The bridge must be closed to traffic while repairs are being undertaken as the road is too narrow for the work to be carried out safely with the bridge open to traffic.

During the road closure, traffic will be diverted via the B4398 and local roads. Access for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will remain available at the bridge throughout the works.

]]>https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2019/02/red-bridge-closure/Stonemasons to carry out inspection of Lord Hill’s Column in Shrewsburyhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/News-ShropshireCouncil/~3/ZGgrLcpdSP0/
Wed, 20 Feb 2019 09:45:42 +0000http://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/?p=45190The statue of Lord Hill on top of The Column in Shrewsbury will be inspected by stonemasons on Monday 25 February [2019] after…

The statue of Lord Hill on top of The Column in Shrewsbury will be inspected by stonemasons on Monday 25 February [2019] after several small pieces of stone were found on the ground close to The Column last week.

An initial inspection by council engineers has suggested that the debris may have fallen from the statue following recent high winds and freezing temperatures.

Now, stonemasons will go up in a cherry picker on Monday to inspect the current condition of the statue and The Column, to determine the likely source and cause of the fallen debris, and to decide if any action is needed to help prevent further debris falling to the ground. The inspection is due to start at around 8am, weather permitting.

In the meantime the situation will be closely monitored and any safety concerns will be dealt with appropriately.

Shropshire Council and the Friends of Lord Hill’s Column are currently working to secure the funding needed to replace the statue of Lord Hill with an exact replica made from its original material, Coade stone.

Tim Smith, head of business, enterprise and commercial services with Shropshire Council said:

“Lord Hill famously fought in a number of battles, but his biggest enemy is undoubtedly the weather – especially heavy rain, frost and wind. Our priority is to ensure the safety of people passing by The Column so we’ve called in stonemasons to carry out a further assessment of the statue and to offer their professional advice about what action may be necessary.”

About The Column and Lord Hill

As owners of the grade 2* listed Lord Hill statue and The Column, Shropshire Council has a responsibility for maintaining the structure.

The Friends of Lord Hill’s Column group was formed in September 2013.

Completed in June 1816 The Column was erected in honour of the Right Honourable Rowland Lord Hill, Baron of Almarez in Spain, and of Hawkstone and Hardwick Grange, Shropshire; Commander-in-Chief of the British Army; a General in the Army; Governor of Plymouth, and Colonel of the Horse Guards Blue.

Born at Prees Hall, near Hawkstone in April 1772, Lord Hill fought alongside the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. The Column was erected to recognise his valour in this and other campaigns. He died at Hardwicke Grange near Shrewsbury in December 1842 and was buried in the churchyard at Hadnall.

The first stone was laid on December 27 1814 by the Salopian Lodge of Free Masons assisted by deputies from adjoining lodges, on the festival of St. John the Evangelist. The last stone was laid on 18 June 1816 the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. The total expense was 5,972 pounds, 13 shillings and 2 pence.

The Grade II listed Column is 133 feet high (40.5 metres) and, when built, was the highest free-standing Greek Doric column in England. Its diameter is two feet wider than Nelson’s Column and, not including the pedestal, it is 13 feet higher.

]]>Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery are delighted to be hosting some ‘beary’ special guests from celebrated local teddy bear manufacturers, Merrythought.

A range of iconic bears are on display as part of the Bears! exhibition and on the Museum balcony.

The Merrythought Bears

These VIP guests include a Bingie Grenadier bear which dates from 1933 – 1938. This smartly dressed bear featured on Antiques Roadshow. It is very rare to find any member of the Bingie family still in his original clothes.

The museum will also be proudly displaying, Edward, Christopher Robin’s teddy bear, star of the major feature film ‘Goodbye Christopher Robin’. Edward is a beautiful replica of the teddy bear who famously inspired AA Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories, originally created by Farnell in 1921 and brought to life by Merrythought.

From August 2017 to July 2018, an original 1930s ‘Merrythought Bear’ proudly appeared upon an official Royal Mail 1st Class Stamp, as part of a special collection celebrating classic British toys. This very special bear also features in the exhibition.

Lezley Picton, Shropshire Council Cabinet member for culture and leisure, said:

“It’s great to that Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery have been able to work with Merrythought to provide a lovely local angle to a national exhibition.

“I’d like to thank Merrythought for kindly donating so many wonderful teddy bears to feature in this fabulous exhibition.”

“We are delighted to have an opportunity to showcase this iconic selection of beautiful teddy bears from a prestigious local company during the Bears Exhibition.”

Sarah Holmes, Director and great-granddaughter of the founder of Merrythought, said:

“Merrythought is delighted to see some key characters from our archives being showcased as part of the exhibition. Given that each one was hand-made in the county, it’s lovely for them to be enjoyed by the museum’s visitors and the local community.

“We are very proud of our heritage and the fact that each Merrythought teddy bear continues to be made in Shropshire today, including our much-loved ‘Edward Bear’, who also features in the museum display.”

]]>https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2019/02/merrythought-bears-shrewsbury-museum/Shrewsbury and Oswestry set to bid for share of £675m Future High Streets Fundhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/News-ShropshireCouncil/~3/VlzHnGS0yDg/
Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:43:29 +0000http://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/?p=45194Shrewsbury and Oswestry could receive a share of the Government’s £675m Future High Streets Fund, with Shropshire Council set to agree to submit…

]]>Shrewsbury and Oswestry could receive a share of the Government’s £675m Future High Streets Fund, with Shropshire Council set to agree to submit funding bids on behalf of both towns.

The Future High Streets Fund was launched in December 2018 to support high streets to adapt, transform and meet the changing expectations and functions of high streets – to help them survive and thrive.

Shropshire is eligible to submit two bids into this first round of funding, and a report to the council’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 27 February 2019 recommends that bids are made on behalf of Shrewsbury and Oswestry before the 22 March [2019] deadline.

Shrewsbury from the air. Credit: Paul Hutchinson

After a number of towns across the county expressed initial interest in being put forward, a short proposal form was produced based on the criteria set out by the Government. Council officers asked Shropshire’s market towns to return their proposals to the council for consideration by a majority independent panel.

The panel consisted of the Executive Director of Place for Shropshire Council, Director of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and the Chair of Shropshire Business Board.

Three of Shropshire’s towns submitted proposals: Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch. Oswestry and Shrewsbury showed a preference to be considered for the first round of funding, and Whitchurch for the second round.

The panel reviewed and scored the proposals that were submitted and concluded that both the Shrewsbury and Oswestry bids should proceed as first round bids and be worked up in collaboration with the appropriate town councils, local councillors and Business Improvement Districts. The panel supported Whitchurch’s preference to be looked at for the second round of funding in 2020.

Oswestry

Steve Charmley, deputy Leader of Shropshire Council and Cabinet member with responsibility for economic growth, said:

“There is a fantastic opportunity for Shropshire Council to submit two bids to the Future High Streets Fund, and hopefully secure a share of the £675 million that has been allocated to support towns and high streets across the country. The aims of the Fund closely match our own ambitions for supporting our market towns and growing the local economy. This is a great chance to secure what could be a significant – and very welcome – amount of funding to help us achieve our goals.”

To give Shropshire Council the greatest potential for success, it will be important to ensure that both bids meet the eligibility criteria of the fund and are truly transformational in their proposals. This will be done through the preparation of the full bids.

Meanwhile, Shropshire Council officers will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on ‘Our plan for the High Street’ and the emerging information and guidance, and the implications of this for Shropshire and its many market towns.

About the Future High Streets Fund

The objective of the Fund is to renew and reshape town centres and high streets in a way that improves experience, drives growth and ensures future sustainability.

The Government’s aim is to co-fund projects and places that have already started to formulate a vision for the future of their town centres. They are expecting bids to be in the region of £5 -10 million and not exceeding £25 million, and be co-funded by either public or private sector investment.

]]>https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2019/02/future-high-streets-fund/Cabinet to consider a change to the way people access serviceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/News-ShropshireCouncil/~3/lc-_hpzp2cY/
Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:42:54 +0000http://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/?p=45211Shropshire Council’s Cabinet is to consider a change to the way people access services in their area, following a year-on-year decrease in…

]]>Shropshire Council’s Cabinet is to consider a change to the way people access services in their area, following a year-on-year decrease in the number of people visiting its face to face offices.

Over the past five years, the number of people using the council’s six main face to face offices has been steadily falling, from 70,615 in April 2014 to just 33,079 in April 2018. Also, some of the council’s smaller offices see no customers at all some months.

This fall in customer numbers is, in part, due to the council’s efforts to make it easier for customers to contact them by phone and carry out simple transactions online.

Every year, the council’s Customer Service Centre (CSC) helps more than 200,000 customers of all ages to access the same services as those handled at face to face points. Also, figures show that use of its new transactional webpages has more than doubled from 764,000 online sessions in 2015 to 1.6 million in 2017.

The cost of providing face to face access is expensive and, with pressures on budgets continuing, the council went out to consultation in July 2018 to seek people’s views on its proposals to reduce the number of days that staff are on site to help, whilst continuing to provide a service which meets the needs of its customers.

Following careful consideration of people’s feedback, the council is proposing to:

Reduce the days on which staff at its main offices in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Whitchurch, Market Drayton, Ludlow and Bridgnorth are available to directly support customers.

Not offer a face to face service at its smaller offices in Albrighton, Bishop’s Castle, Broseley, Church Stretton Town Council and Church Stretton Health and Well-being Centre, Cleobury Country, Ellesmere, Shifnal and Wem, some of which have no recorded customer use.

“Whilst we recognise that some customers prefer to use a face to face service, we have to find ways of achieving this on much-reduced budgets.

“As part of the proposals, we plan to keep our six main offices open during the times that they’re at their busiest, wherever possible. We’ve also made a commitment to continue to provide phones and computers at all of our offices, which will be free for our customers.

“Over the last few years we’ve worked really hard to provide people with different and more cost-effective ways of accessing the services that they need, and we’re pleased that people are using these more and more. Our future plans for digital transformation and bringing council services together will only add to this.

“It’s because of this that we feel confident that we can continue to be fair to our customers and provide value for money, despite these changes.”

]]>https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2019/02/customer-services/Every day is different: why we love working in adult social carehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/News-ShropshireCouncil/~3/hAkTqCt1RBM/
Tue, 19 Feb 2019 14:54:31 +0000http://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/?p=45198Staff supporting a new national campaign are encouraging potential new recruits to consider social care as a career choice. The “Every day…

]]>Staff supporting a new national campaign are encouraging potential new recruits to consider social care as a career choice.

The “Every day is different, when you care” campaign, led by the Department of Health and Social Care, aims to help drive people towards the 110,000 vacancies in the adult social care sector.

Every day is different when you care – campaign

‘Every day is different’ will showcase how rewarding social care careers can be, with a huge array of opportunities for progression and professional development: 96% of care professionals feel their work makes a difference to people’s lives. The campaign aims to:

Attract new people with the right values to the sector and increase interest in adult social care as a vocation.

Highlight the array of job roles, with an initial focus on direct care roles such as care workers, where there is the most demand.

Equip the sector with the marketing tools to support the campaign and advice to recruit the right people and help retain staff, to address a high turnover rate.

Making tasting perfecting

There is more to adult social care than meets the eye. The sector offers an extremely varied and rewarding profession with opportunities to suit every type of carer. The ‘Every day is different, when you care’ campaign will help people understand more about adult social care, mitigate any myths they have about the sector, and help them explore whether a job in social care would be right for them.

In adult social care, no two days are the same. From care worker to director, social care attracts all kinds of people with one thing in common – a desire to help make a difference every day. But don’t take our word for it – take a look at what our staff and those who we support have to say.

START team

Over 1.45 million people work in the adult social care sector currently, but it is predicted an additional 650,000 workers will be needed by 2035, to keep up with the rising numbers of people aged 65 and over.

talking dancing laughing

In the West Midlands alone, it is estimated that the sector employs more people in the region than are employed in the automotive industry across the UK.

“This is a very productive and exciting time in adult social care. The rapidly-growing sector continues to evolve and transform in creative and innovative ways, bringing exciting new job vacancies and lots of opportunities to develop and progress. There’s never been a more exciting time to be part of this vibrant and dynamic sector.

“Also over the past 12 months, we have been looking at ‘flipping’ adult social care so that it is not seen as a drain but a key driver in the region’s economy. The sector is also one of the biggest employers in the country, by some estimates employing more people than the NHS, and contributes literally billions of pounds to the West Midlands’ economy, and demand for its services will grow and grow for the foreseeable future.

“We are delighted to be supporting the ‘Every day is different, when you care’ campaign to encourage and inspire the right people with the right values to either return or take their first steps towards an enormously successful and rewarding career. I strongly encourage people across Shropshire to see what great career prospects, and opportunities for progression there is in social care across the county.”

]]>https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2019/02/adult-social-care/New growth plans for Shropshire’s market towns near completionhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/News-ShropshireCouncil/~3/gCVAUmF0jHg/
Fri, 15 Feb 2019 15:25:18 +0000http://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/?p=45175A series of plans that will help Shropshire’s largest market towns to encourage growth and attract new businesses and investment are set…

A series of plans that will help Shropshire’s largest market towns to encourage growth and attract new businesses and investment are set to be completed by the end of March, Shropshire Council’s place overview committee heard at its meeting today, 15 February 2019.

The local economic growth strategies for Ludlow, Oswestry, Whitchurch, Bridgnorth, and Market Drayton are being prepared by Shropshire Council, in conjunction with the appropriate town council, parish councils, local business and other stakeholders.

Each strategy will create a shared ‘economic vision’ for that town, with a focus on key sectors, and will help inward investors and businesses to understand what that town has to offer.

They will sit beneath Shropshire Council’s countywide Economic Growth Strategy and will help to create a shared economic vision for the whole county.

The Whitchurch and Oswestry economic growth strategies are set to be finalised by the end of February, with the Market Drayton, Ludlow and Bridgnorth plans set to be completed by the end of March. Discussions are also being held with Shifnal Town Council on a strategy for Shifnal.

In drafting the strategies Shropshire Council has run a series of workshops with town and parish councils, business groups, individual businesses and other stakeholders, and the feedback from these will help identify projects and inform an action plan and vision for each town.

The feedback gathered from the workshops so far has been extremely beneficial. The workshop held in Ludlow was particularly successful and well attended, with Philip Dunne MP taking part in the session.

Gemma Davies, head of economic growth with Shropshire Council, said:

“We’ve worked closely with local partners and stakeholders in the creation of these strategies to ensure that each plan demonstrates a shared vison.

“The intention has been to not duplicate what we have already. These strategies will be focused on the delivery of economic growth and will be informed by, and fully aligned with, other strategies and documents already in existence, including place plans, neighbourhood plans and the local plan review work.”

Joyce Barrow, chair of the place overview committee, said:

“It was really helpful for the committee to find out more about this important work, which aims to help boost the economies of our market towns, and their surrounding areas, and also strengthen the economy of the whole county. I’m encouraged that Shropshire Council is working closely, and working well, with each of the town councils, and local stakeholders, and encouraging them to make their thoughts known and to take ownership of their strategies.”

Smaller towns wanting to develop their own economic plan will be provided with a structured template document to help them to do so. The document asks them to consider the opportunities, constraints and challenges to delivering growth in their area. This work is community-led, co-ordinated by the parish or town council, supported by Shropshire Council, working with local business community and other key stakeholder groups.

Further information

1. Shrewsbury is already covered by the Big Town Plan.

2. While centred on larger market towns, the local strategies take in the wider hinterland and surrounding geography of each town.

3. The framework for each plan follows the same format as the countywide strategy with a number of key priority headings which includes;

]]>https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2019/02/growth-plans-market-towns/Half term at Severn Valley Country Parkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/News-ShropshireCouncil/~3/4TWOLVppRpE/
Fri, 15 Feb 2019 13:34:15 +0000http://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/?p=45165During half term Severn Valley Country Park will still be open for business as the building work to the exciting new extension…

Our rangers will be leading 2 woodland mini beast sessions from 11.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-2.30pm.

Our ranger will take visitors down into the woods to search for spiders, earwigs, worms, slugs and other bugs who live in the log piles and leaves found on the woodland floor. The mini beast hunts are FREE to join, but please call 01746 781 192 to book your place.

The meeting point will be outside the refreshment kiosk.

About the Visitor Centre extension

The new extension will feature a much larger interpretation space to tell visitors about the fascinating history and wildlife of Severn Valley Country Park.

The café will also be improved and will include a new ‘play zone’ for younger visitors and a comfortable snug area to sit and enjoy a drink in front of a roaring fire.

The new facilities should be open by June 2019, ahead of a busy summer of events at the park, and will create three full-time jobs, including a new catering manager.

Funding for the extension is the result of a successful grant application to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) under the Marches LEP Tourism Infrastructure priority. The total cost of the project will be around £411,000, of which £295,839, will be grant-funded.

Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Consultancy based at WWT Slimbridge have been appointed to design and build the new Visitor Centre. The team have experience of designing visitor centres on country parks all around the world.

Lezley Picton, Cabinet member for culture and leisure, said:

“Severn Valley Country Park is well-loved by locals and visitors alike. The team at Shropshire Council are working hard to bring the park into a cost-neutral position. The new Visitor Centre will enable the staff and volunteers to deliver more top quality public events and enhance the visitor experience to safeguard the future of this wonderful facility.”

Shropshire Council manages the third largest Rights of Way network in the country; 5,600km, which is the same distance as Shrewsbury to New York as well as around 13,000 ha of publically accessible parks, heritage sites and nature reserves.